Format an Excel table

Excel provides numerous predefined table styles that you can use to quickly format a table. If the predefined table styles don't meet your needs, you can create and apply a custom table style. Although you can delete only custom table styles, you can remove any predefined table style so that it is no longer applied to a table.

You can further adjust the table formatting by choosing Quick Styles options for table elements, such as Header and Total Rows, First and Last Columns, Banded Rows and Columns, as well as Auto Filtering.

Note: The screen shots in this article were taken in Excel 2016. If you have a different version your view might be slightly different, but unless otherwise noted, the functionality is the same.

Choose a table style

When you have a data range that is not formatted as a table, Excel will automatically convert it to a table when you select a table style. You can also change the format for an existing table by selecting a different format.

Select any cell within the table, or range of cells you want to format as a table.

On the Home tab, click Format as Table.

Click the table style that you want to use.

Notes:

Auto Preview - Excel will automatically format your data range or table with a preview of any style you select, but will only apply that style if you press Enter or click with the mouse to confirm it. You can scroll through the table formats with the mouse or your keyboard's arrow keys.

When you use Format as Table, Excel automatically converts your data range to a table. If you don't want to work with your data in a table, you can convert the table back to a regular range while keeping the table style formatting that you applied. For more information, see Convert an Excel table to a range of data.

Select any cell in the table from which you want to remove the current table style.

On the Home tab, click Format as Table, or expand the Table Styles gallery from the Table Tools > Design tab (the Table tab on a Mac).

Click Clear.

The table will be displayed in the default table format.

Note: Removing a table style does not remove the table. If you don't want to work with your data in a table, you can convert the table to a regular range. For more information, see Convert an Excel table to a range of data.